Officials in Platte City are moving forward with the process of hiring a replacement for Jason Metten, the former city administrator who resigned in August.

Three finalists out of a list of 63 candidates have been going through an interview process for the vacant position.

The three finalists are:

Dennis J. Gehrt, who has served four different local government agencies over a period of 18 years, nine years of which was as city administrator of Plattsburg.

Mike Hayslip, who has served as city administrator for two Missouri cities—Odessa and Cassville, has five years experience in local government.

Mark Loughry, who has served the cities of Hays and Basehor in Kansas, has 11 years local government management experience.

The process includes not only the board interview, but two employee interview panels, as well. The employee panel interviews were conducted on Friday, Oct. 28 and the board of aldermen interviews will be conducted on Saturday, Nov. 5.

Mayor Frank Offutt and board president Tony Paolillo both expressed their appreciation for the experience Pamela Windsor, interim city administrator, has brought in assisting the search for the city's next administrator.